10 Ways to Save Money on Broadway Show Tickets in NYC

As someone who enjoys theatrical arts, I’m lucky that I’m local and live right outside of New York City. With that said, I’ve seen a fair share of Broadway and off-broadway shows over the years. You almost never have to pay full price on Broadway because there are tons of ways to save money on show tickets.

For instance, you can browse through the collections of discount and periodic special offer codes on BroadwayBox.com, or if you have time to spare during your visit to NYC, you can even wait in line at the TKTS booth in Times Square to try and secure discounted (as much as half off) last-minute same and next day tickets to many Broadway shows.

There are also some hassle-free options to secure tickets for shows. I’ve had great success using the TodayTix app (you can save $10 with my referral code CQMXK), where you can easily buy discounted or full-priced tickets to many shows right in NYC and a hand full of other cities right through the app and then pick them up in person at the day of the show. This is a great way to make concrete show plans ahead of time or even give the gift of Broadway show tickets.

The Hit or Miss Approach

If you care less about the seat and more about seeing the show, you can enter a show’s lottery at Broadway Direct (or via the app). There’s also an option to purchase rush or standing room only tickets in person directly at the theater’s box office as soon as it opens on the day of the desired performance. Of course, those two methods will not necessarily guarantee you a seat, but it can offer substantial savings if you’re flexible and willing to take a chance.

Savings via Subscription

There are a few subscription programs worth mentioning such as TDF($35 per year, must qualify) and WillCallClub ($19.95 per year, primarily rush seats). These membership programs might be worth the cost if you live locally in New York or visit frequently.

Using Miles & Points

Believe it or not, sometimes it even makes sense to use miles or points to secure show tickets or a VIP experience.

I recently redeemed 4,000 United miles for a pair of VIP front row tickets to the Stars in the Alley Broadway showcase in Times Square which I’ll attend later this week, and that even includes a wonderful restaurant brunch for two before the show as well as a United gift bag. It’s a great redemption to get a little taste of all of the shows currently happening in New York.

While Starpoints are typically most valuable when used towards flights or hotel nights, you can sometimes find some deals on Broadway tickets using Starpoints or find VIP show package deals with SPG Moments.

For Spontaneous Types

I’m saving one of my absolute favorite ways to score fantastic discount Broadway show tickets for last. I just discovered a new discount ticket service called Broadway Roulette, and it’s so much fun!

For the spontaneous types who love to keep life interesting, Broadway Roulette is a new and fun way to see a Broadway show without the hassle of traditional ticket-buying (standing in line, spending time scouring for discount codes, etc).

Simply choose between a musical or a play, specify a day (bookable up to 3 months in advance), number of tickets, and then Broadway Roulette will “spin the wheel” for you on the morning of your show and will issue you tickets to a show that matches your criteria for just $49-$59 per ticket (roughly half the cost of your average broadway ticket). You can also purchase and extend tickets as a gift.

When placing your order, you also have the ability to eliminate up to 6 shows that you may have already seen or have just have interest in seeing, period. Rest assured, you will never receive tickets for the shows you “eliminate”.

Additionally, rouletters have a shot at landing “jackpot tickets” to sold out shows that are never available on traditional discount ticket platforms.

I recently gave Broadway Roulette a shot and landed two orchestra tickets to “Beautiful – a Carole King Musical” during a Sunday matinee (ticket price of $119 each), and it was fantastic!

It was such a fun way to have an open mind and see a show that may have not previously been on my radar. I will definitely be using Broadway Roulette again in the future. If you want to give it a try, feel free to use my referral code, Angelina6, for $6 off your first order.

Bottom Line

With so many ways to save on Broadway show tickets, it’s silly to ever pay full price. There are many different ways to save based on what your personal preferences or what your plans in New York look like.

Since time is money, I tend to prefer a hassle free [and fun] experience rather than fighting crowds, waiting in line, and scouring the internet for codes. Aside from the great experience I had using Broadway Roulette, getting my gambling fix in there was a win too.

What are your favorite ways to save on Broadway show tickets? Anything else you want to add to the list?

About Angelina Aucello

Comments

Thanks for the tips. I’m going to check these out when we move to NYC later this year. We did use TKTS before and it was such a great cost savings. The long lines were a downer before, so anything where we dont have to wait in line is great. Thanks for sharing.

There are also seat filler clubs with annual subscription costs that I join. This is probably mostly applicable for local New Yorkers. Clubfreetime ($99/yr) & Play-by-Play ($20). Once you join, then the unsold tickets for broadway & off broadway shows are only $5.

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